Should the LA Lakers use a first-round pick to trade Russell Westbrook?

Many believed that adding Russell Westbrook to a roster with LeBron James and Anthony Davis would make the LA Lakers instant title contenders. Unfortunately for the three stars and Lakers fans, the team floundered to a 33-49 finish.

While some questioned the fit, nobody predicted the season would turn out this poorly. With the offseason looming and coach Frank Vogel already fired, the biggest concern is what to do with Westbrook. Once he surely picks up his player option, can general manager Rob Pelinka find a taker for Westbrook's $47 million salary?

Evaluating the options for a potential Russell Westbrook trade

There was much speculation that the Lakers were reluctant to include their 2027 first-round pick to swap Westbrook for John Wall. The team viewed it as more of a lateral move that didn't turn them into true contenders.

If the opportunity presents itself to move Westbrook with a pick attached, should the Lakers, knowing that James' window is closing, consider it? There is one rumored deal that would be worth including the pick: a trade with the Indiana Pacers.

While the Lakers are looking for players who fit well with James and Davis, the Pacers could be looking to dump long-term salary. They are embracing a rebuild after trading cornerstone Domantas Sabonis to the Sacramento Kings.

While the return brought back Tyrese Haliburton, it also included Buddy Hield, a player the Lakers nearly acquired before turning their attention to Westbrook. Hield doesn't fit with the Pacers' plans to rebuild, and they could look to get out of the remaining two years of his contract.

A similar player on the Pacers roster is Malcolm Brogdon, who has three years remaining on his deal. Both make north of $20 million per year, and while the Pacers won't be saving money in 2022-2023, they will save big down the road.

Buddy Hield and Malcolm Brogdon could make it worth moving a 2027 first-round pick

Hield and Brogdon both fit well with the Lakers' two superstars, as both are good shooters, provide some defensive value and can play off the ball. According to insider Shams Charania, of The Athletic, rival executives believe the pair may be attainable in a Westbrook trade.

The Lakers would surely like to receive Myles Turner in this trade and maybe include some combination of Talen Horton-Tucker, Kendrick Nunn and their 2029 first-round pick. But yhat may be unlikely, as the Pacers should have plenty of suitors for Turner this summer.

A lineup of Brogdon, Hield, James, Davis and Turner would surely be title contenders. But even without Turner, acquiring Brogdon and Hield while getting rid of Westbrook' would be worth the 2027 first-round pick. That's particularly true if it prevents the Lakers from having to waive and stretch Westbrook, which, according to Lakers Nation, is a possibility.

The Pacers would be getting rid of long-term salaries while acquiring a pick that could be valuable as well as a player who, for all his shortcomings, has a strong fanbase. All these factors could make this trade worth considering.

The Lakers, although they missed the playoffs, must remain in win-now mode as long as James and Davis are on the roster. While Westbrook is a future first-ballot Hall of Famer, his best days are behind him. Plus, his fit with the two superstars, particularly with James as a non-shooter, was always questionable.

It is almost impossible to build a title contender around James and Davis with Westbrook taking up the remaining cap space. Turning him into two players who fit next to James and Davis is a deal Pelinka and staff must consider. That's true even if it means including a first-round pick, something they were reluctant to do at the trade deadline in February.

Should the Lakers use a first-round pick to shed Westbrook's contract?

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